In the previous post, we talked about being a healthy director…and how essential that is to a successful center, school or business. Those four pieces of professionalism, confidence, organization and a flourishing and balanced life set the stage for positive outcomes in your work every day.
As we examine other parts of this successful school, center or business, let’s take a look at another critical piece: empowered staff. According to Merriam-Webster, the word empower means “having the knowledge, confidence, means, or ability to do things or make decisions for oneself”. This is probably the best foundation for a clear understanding of this characteristic. Regardless of their role, when a staff person can accomplish the necessary tasks with initiative and confidence without depending upon the director for support, the entire program benefits.
What are the components of an empowered staff person? What do we need to look for in new hires and encourage in those who are in our programs? Two key ingredients are reliability and responsibility. Reliability is something we typically think of as coming every day and doing the job as it is outlined in the job description. This is someone who can be counted on to make things happen so that every single day children have a wonderful daily experience and other staff members are supported and valued. Reliability is also exhibited when a staff person is someone who can handle emergencies or carry on events when the director cannot be present.
Reliability is someone who can be counted on to make things happen so that every single day children have a wonderful daily experience and other staff members are supported and valued.
Responsibility can be pictured as the other hand, both working together with a common goal in mind so that tasks are efficiently accomplished, outcomes are achieved successfully and the program shines in the community. Reliability and responsibility together can cover the main work of the program on a daily basis, but to truly be innovative and to stand out, two other traits need to be present within your staff.
Intentionality has become quite a buzzword in early care and education discussions…but that does not mean that it has lost its value in our early education community. Being intentional can occur in several different ways. The first is to give thought and attention to the tasks that are necessary to be successful within each day. How will you get everything in? Who do you need to communicate with—either for support or reporting? What goals are present in your daily tasks and how can you best accomplish them? Does your work align with the mission and vision of the center or school? Positive answers to these questions mean that you are on your way to a high-quality and empowered staff. Another aspect of intentionality is for teachers to individualize learning and provide the kind of environment that can address learners in appropriate and specific ways to achieve goals and positive outcomes for each child. A third element of intentionality is to take time for reflection to consider ways to continue or improve practice.
A final characteristic of empowered staff is creativity. It is the icing on the cake…the way that other parts of your staffing plan, parent event, professional development or marketing and advertising can really shine! Give plenty of opportunity for staff members or teams to exercise their creativity in problem-solving, innovative teaching ideas and using their personal strengths to add value to any of your center’s activities and events. Perspectives from those outside of leadership can often bring in useful and important contributions that may be different from a director’s and may be more in line with the targeted clientele. Freedom, time and available supplies are ingredients that will make creativity flow among staff and allow them to feel supported and energized. Set aside judgment, be grateful for the effort offered and value the time and energy expended to Reliability…responsibility…intentionality…creativity. These essential components for empowered staff are equally attributes of high-quality staff that support an excellent program. Of course, every person does not necessarily have every one of these characteristics. But by assessing program needs, hiring carefully, communicating effectively and setting high expectations for staff in terms of their commitment to their work, great staff can come true for you!
